To understand the world around us, we rely on our worldview - how we perceive and make sense of things. This perception is influenced by both the means through which we perceive the world and the actual content of our perceptions.
As human beings, we have six senses: sight, hearing, smell, taste, touch, and mental consciousness. Each of these senses provides us with a unique way of experiencing the world. Seeing forms and shapes through our eyes is one way of perceiving the world, while hearing sounds through our ears is another.
It's important to note that our perceptions through the six senses can be classified into two categories: direct valid cognition and inferential valid cognition.
Direct Valid Cognition
Direct valid cognition, also known as direct perception, is the act of perceiving through the first five senses without any mental labeling or interpretation. It's a straightforward type of perception, but it's also conditional - it relies on specific conditions being present. For example, we can see a flower directly only when it's in front of us and when our eyes are functioning properly. When those conditions change or cease to exist, the perception also ends. We cannot see the same flower that bloomed yesterday again because it has now changed or withered.
If you're unfamiliar with these concepts, please bear with me as they are crucial to our understanding of Buddhism. For those who are already familiar with these ideas, you may have heard them explained differently before. In this session, I'll provide a comprehensive explanation of direct valid cognition and its role in the Buddhist worldview. It's essential to listen carefully and patiently as this understanding will greatly impact our studies and practice of Buddhism.
Inferential Valid Cognition
Inferential valid cognition refers to perception through logical thinking. It is an indirect perception. For instance, to know what makes up the flower, whether it is poisonous, and whether it is healthy, we have to rely on logical thinking. The scope of inferential valid cognition is vast - we can recall what happened yesterday, plan for tomorrow, and think about a multitude of things.
Direct and inferential valid cognition are the only two methods available to us as human beings to perceive the world. There is no third method.
Some of you may not be familiar with these concepts, and may be feeling confused. Please bear with me and be patient. For those of you who are fellow practitioners in China, you may have heard these concepts explained before. This time, I will provide a more comprehensive explanation, as worldview plays a significant role in our understanding of Buddhism and its practice.
Excerpted from: Buddhist Worldview and Modern Life
